Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili drafted by Bucks in second round
The wait was worth it for Sandro Mamukelashvili. The NBA champion Bucks took the 6-foot-11 forward out of Seton Hall 54th overall in the NBA draft on Thursday night.
nypost.com
By Zach Braziller
The wait was worth it for Sandro Mamukelashvili.
The NBA champion Bucks took the 6-foot-11 forward out of Seton Hall 54th overall in the NBA draft on Thursday night.
Mamukelashvili, from the Republic of Georgia, became the first Pirate to be drafted since Isaiah Whitehead was selected in the second round by the Nets in 2016.
In four years, Mamukelashvili went from a bench player as a freshman to the tri-Big East Player of the Year as a senior, and he played in two NCAA Tournaments.
Last season, he averaged 17.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 33 percent from 3-point range.
“In my opinion, I’m one of the most underrated guys in this draft,” Mamukelashvili told The Post’s Steve Serby prior to the draft. “I think I can be a top-30 player in this draft. No matter how it goes, I’ll be blessed, I’ll be so excited. I’ll be with my family, and I’ll enjoy it. But I’ll definitely try to prove to everybody that I have what it takes to be one of the best players.”
Terrence Clarke, the former Kentucky star and projected first-round pick who tragically lost his life in a car accident on April 22 in Los Angeles, was honored by the NBA at the draft.
Clarke’s family was in the green room at Barclays Center and was brought onto the stage by NBA commissioner Adam Silver between the 14th and 15th picks in the first round.
Clarke, who grew up in Boston and was a McDonald’s All-American, was ceremonially selected by the NBA, and his brother, mother and sister were all given NBA hats. The crowd chanted his name.
“His extraordinary talent, commitment and dedication to the game deserved to be recognized on this stage,” Silver said. “With us this evening is Terrence’s mom, Osmine, his brother, Gavin, his sister, Tatyana. To the three of you, and to all of those who knew and admitted Terrence, please know that he will forever be part of the NBA family.”
Jonathan Kuminga became the fifth player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be drafted when he was selected seventh overall by the Warriors.
Kuminga joined Dikembe Mutombo (1991), Christian Eyenga (2009), Bismack Biyombo (2011) and Emmanuel Mudiay (2015), Kuminga’s cousin. Of the five, Mutombo was drafted the highest, fourth overall by the Nuggets in 1991.
The 6-8 Kuminga attended high school locally, at Our Savior New American on Long Island and The Patrick School in New Jersey before taking the new lucrative G-League route rather than attending college.
